The long-term safety of the popular artificial sweetener Splenda (sucralose) has been called into question by a new review study published in the Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health. Researchers from the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) discovered that sucralose essentially releases cancer-causing dioxins in food when baked or otherwise heated, which is one of its primary marketed uses.

Citing an earlier study published by researchers from the Department of Pharmacology at Duke University in North Carolina, the review challenges a number of claims made in support of Splenda's alleged safety, including the claim by its manufacturer, McNeil Nutritionals, that sucralose passes through the body completely undigested. Evidence shows not only that this is false but also that sucralose is hardly the innocuous substance that we have all been led to believe it is.

"The study asserts that in human and rodent studies sucralose was shown to alter levels of glucose, insulin and glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1)," writes Laura Sesana for the Washington Times (WT). "The authors also warn that when sucralose is used for cooking at high temperatures it generates chloropropanols, a class of chemicals that may be linked to a higher risk of cancer."

Sucralose may be unsafe for people with diabetes; chemicals raise blood sugar, insulin
The blood sugar finding is particularly concerning, as Splenda is largely marketed to diabetics who have to watch their sugar intake. Many people who use Splenda or consume products that contain it typically do so because they believe it to be a healthier alternative to sugar, which is clearly not the case.

"Sucralose alters metabolic parameters and its chronic effects on body weight are unknown," reads the study, suggesting that the artificial sweetener may actually have diabetogenic properties, meaning it can actually cause diabetes.

Evidence suggests sucralose is more of a drug than a food additive
Sucralose was also found in the study to alter the expressions of P-glycoprotein and cytochrome P in a manner similar to organochlorine drugs. This would suggest that sucralose is actually more of a drug than it is a food additive, which means it has no business being indiscriminately added to food without a proper drug warning.

Long-term health consequences of sucralose metabolites unknown
The only reason why Splenda even made it on the artificial sweetener scene in the first place is because it was claimed at the time that sucralose passes through the body "unchanged." But this latest study proves based on urine and fecal analysis that sucralose produces toxic metabolites, especially when heated, that have unknown long-term effects on human health.

"One study showed that the stability of sucralose decreased as the temperature and pH increased, with the breakdown process commencing at 119 degrees Celsius and temperatures of 180 degrees Celsius causing its complete degradation at all pH levels with the release of chloride ions," writes Sayer Ji for BeforeItsNews.com about the dangers of heated Splenda.

Whatever sucralose is not metabolized by the body ends up passing through into sewers and eventually water treatment plants, where it accumulates and eventually gets released into the environment. This bio-accumulation threatens to not only taint rivers, streams and other water sources, but also contaminate fish and other animals.

"Because the body does not metabolize 85 percent of sucralose ingested, most of it ends up in sewage treatment systems," explains Sesana. "Sucralose is resistant to water treatments for the same reason that it is not easily broken down by the body, resulting in sucralose being released into surface waters."

If most people are walking around with an 80% deficiency in some vitamin then my first thought is that someone overestimated its importance.

If magnesium was absolutely essential to potassium entering cells (remember it aids in cellular uptake, not required for cellular uptake) and balancing the effects of sodium then more people would be stroking out.

However, its role is being found to be more complex than previously thought.
Nutrition is a changing science. There's constantly something new being discovered. Magnesium benefits not only cardiovascular disease but fibromyalgia, premenstrual syndrome, migraines, aging. fatigue, weakness and more.

I sometimes drink a calcium and magnesium drink when I travel for work to help me sleep. It's funny but I finished heavy traveling two weeks ago and I stopped taking it. I woke with three migraines this week.

If you click the link "In Depth" it gives you several easy food ideas to fulfill your necessary requirements. And if you're that far off, it's unlikely you'd notice the difference anyway.

I take specific things for specific things. I don't take a lot of mega vitamins all the time.

Why do you care what kind of healthcare others use anyway? Oh, I know you're a busy body progressive. I forgot.

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Not sure what crony capitalist pulled off posting it on Forbes. Surely quite a feat of conspiracy. If only Scoob and the gang were around.

That has nothing to do with conspiracy. You're just being snide. It's a corporate leaning publication is all. If you're familiar with public relations getting articles to protect their interests isn't out of the question. Like big pharma who feels threatened by the growth in alternative healthcare and medicine.

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Regardless, I'm glad you found help for whatever your issue was. Probably mental.

No it wasn't. It was physical. Hostility is a mental thing with you. You might just be deficient in calcium.

However, its role is being found to be more complex than previously thought.
Nutrition is a changing science. There's constantly something new being discovered. Magnesium benefits not only cardiovascular diseased but fibromyalgia, premenstrual syndrome, migraines, aging. fatigue, weakness and more.

I sometimes drink a calcium and magnesium drink when I travel for work to help me sleep.

Look, I don't doubt nutrition knowledge evolves. So much so that likely the things you may even hold as truths today won't be true 5 years from now.

It strikes me as though you are overthinking things a bit. For someone who strives to live through a simple, clean and balanced diet, you are obsessed with over regulation.

Side note: never thought that would be said about you, eh? But I digress...

It's like the Himalayan salt. You use it for its nutritional benefits, but your nutritional needs are already being met by your decision to eat more consciously and you don't even know it.

__________________The welfare of humanity is always the alibi of tyrants

It strikes me as though you are overthinking things a bit. For someone who strives to live through a simple, clean and balanced diet, you are obsessed with over regulation.

Wait wut? Over regulating what?

Thinking? I don't go around thinking about such things constantly. I'm just in a health related thread that's evolved into more than the op. I really love reading about health though. My top interests are art/design, politics/economics and nutrition/health.

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Side note: never thought that would be said about you, eh? But I digress...

Yeah, but I'm not sure what you mean either. Certainly not the govt over regulating.

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It's like the Himalayan salt. You use it for its nutritional benefits, but your nutritional needs are already being met by your decision to eat more consciously and you don't even know it.

How would you know if my nutritional needs are being met though?
I don't always eat right but I do eat better than the average American I believe. When I travel, though, it gets rough due to what is available and my schedule or where I am.

But I like the Himalayan salt just because it's better quality. It's also been a new thing since summer. I was using sea salt before that.

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

__________________
"Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father ... And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity."

"If the people let government decide what foods they eat and what medicines they take, their bodies will soon be in as sorry a state as are the souls of those who live under tyranny." - Thomas Jefferson

Bickering about what kind of sugar is the healthiest is like arguing about which brand of Drain-O you should be pouring over your corn flakes.

Sugar isn't the devil and neither is salt like many have been lead to believe. These designer drugs used as food additives/replacements are a major part of the problem.

__________________
"Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father ... And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity."

"If the people let government decide what foods they eat and what medicines they take, their bodies will soon be in as sorry a state as are the souls of those who live under tyranny." - Thomas Jefferson